Drawer for sink cabinets

ABSTRACT

A sink-side cabinet drawer designed to utilize the dead space in cabinets by curving the sink-side of the drawer around the bowl of a sink or underside of a countertop appliance. The drawer is installed by removing the veneer drawer panel from the sink cabinet and affixing a bottom mounting slide for support and guided movement.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to cabinetry and moreparticularly, this invention relates to a drawer assembly that, whenclosed, accommodates the dead space around the bowl of a sink beneaththe counter top.

2. Problems in the Art.

Storage is always an issue in any household and cabinets are thepreferred form of storage in kitchens and bathrooms. The space beneaththe counter top and around the sink has long be unusable space or deadspace. Most cabinets utilize a vanity panel to simulate the look of thesurrounding cabinets and provide the illusion of drawers beneath thesink. Taking advantage of dead space provides additional storagecapacity and improved household organization.

The patent literature is filled with novel inventions to get more usefulspace out of the same living space. Many patents specifically addressutilizing dead space in cabinetry in bathrooms and kitchens.

A novel approach to utilization of dead space behind a sink isdemonstrated in Japanese Patent 2003144260, Side Panel forCounter-Supporting Sink Stand with Space Opening, by Abe Takeshi (May20, 2003). The '260 patent describes to use of a sliding drawer thatextends from across the back of the cabinet parallel to the wall andbehind the sink. However, this invention requires the sink containingcabinet to be the terminal cabinet so that access is possible from theside of the cabinet.

Yet another invention, described in Japanese Patent 2000236964, KitchenCabinet by Toru et al. (Sep. 4, 2000), utilizes the dead space beneaththe cabinets and above the floor through the use of drawers. A similarinvention, Japanese Patent 2003339462, Drawer Structure Under Sink byHiroyuki (Dec. 2, 2003) applies the concept of the '964 patentspecifically to cabinets which contain sinks. Both the '964 patent andthe '462 patens fail to utilize the dead space around the bowl of thesink under the countertop.

One such invention is described by European Patent Application 282238,Storage Device for Kitchen Furniture filed on Mar. 4, 1988. The '238patent application describes hingedly mounting the false drawer paneland affixing a thin tray to the interior so that when the panel ispulled out it rotates along an axis at the bottom of the panel to exposean open tray for storage. This is markedly different from the presentinvention in that the drawers are not hingedly attached, but arefunctioning drawers that engage a rail system to allow the drawer toslide parallel to the counter top.

An invention more similar to the present invention is described by InuiJunko in Japanese Patent 2003299532, Drawer Member (Oct. 21, 2003). The'532 patent describes rectangular drawers which slide alongside the bowlof a sink under a countertop. However, the '532 patent fails to utilizethe dead space between the bowl of the sink and the front of thecabinetry beneath the countertop.

Yet another variation on drawers utilized with sink supporting cabinetryis described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,296, Cabinet and Undersink Drawersby McGilton (Apr. 27, 2004). The '296 patent is designed to slide at thebottom of the cabinet beneath the sink and fit around the trap and drainbeneath an installed sink but not encompassing the bowl. The '296invention fails to utilize any dead space at all and only provides aslidable shelf at the base of the sink cabinet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Cabinet drawers having opposing side surfaces, a front side, and atleast one sink side, and a bottom. The sink side may be curved to betterfit around the bowl, or multiple pieces to form a polygon whichaccommodates the shape of the sink bowl when recessed within theconfines of the cabinet. The cabinet drawer includes mounting fixturesand slides.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of a first embodiment of the cabinetand drawer in an open position from the front of the cabinet.

FIG. 2 depicts a perspective overhead view of the preferred embodimentof the cabinet and drawer from the sink side of the drawer.

FIG. 3 depicts a perspective view of the bottom of the preferredembodiment of the drawer showing the mounted slide.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 2, there is shown the preferred embodiment of thedrawer of the present invention. The sink cabinet drawer 10 includes afront panel 11, a floor panel 14, an cabinet-side panel 12, a rear panel13, a first sink-side panel 17, a second sink-side panel 15, and a thirdsink-side panel 16 connecting the first 17 and second sink-side panels15 wherein the sink-side panels are joined such that they curve aroundthe bowl of the sink and take advantage of dead space below the counterand between the sink and cabinet walls.

With reference to FIG. 3, there is shown the preferred embodiment of theinvention. The drawer 20, includes a cabinet drawer slide 21 mounted onthe bottom side of the floor panel 24 of the drawer. The cabinet drawerslide could alternatively be mounted beside or above said drawer. Thecabinet drawer slide 21 is received into a cabinet drawer slide sleeve22 at the rear of the drawer 20 and connecting under the rear panel 23.Additional methods of attachment, such as systems that form a key/lockgroove common in woodworking or simply resting the drawer on theunderlying cabinet frame are anticipated by this invention.

Alternative embodiments would allow for custom fitting around varioussink bowls. The sink side of the drawer could be constructed in a curvedshape rather than angling the straight sides of the drawer around thebowl. A curved side would take greater advantage of dead space than thepreferred embodiment but would conceivably be more expensive tofabricate.

An additional embodiment would allow for one drawer to curve around thefront side bowl. A further embodiment would allow for three drawers tobe utilized to cover the dead space between the sink bowl and the frontof the cabinet.

The drawers are anticipated to be crafted from similar materials to thecabinets into which they are being installed. Common materials includewood, synthetic wood products, plastic, metal, or any similarly suitablematerial known to those skilled in the art of cabinetry. Since the vastmajority of sink cabinets possess veneer drawer panels, the preferredmethod of installation is to remove these veneer panels, install acabinet drawer slide, and then install the present invention. If aveneer is not present then cutting a sufficiently dimensioned orificefor the drawer will become necessary. An alternative to retro-fittingexisting cabinets with the present invention is to install cabinets withthe present invention as an elected option.

The preferred method for mounting the present invention is to utilize abottom mounted slide since it is impractical to utilize a slide on thesink side of the drawer due to the inconsistent width of the drawerbody. Such slides are known to those skilled in the art of cabinetry.Another alternative embodiment would utilize a side mounted slide on theside of the drawer opposite the sink in addition to the bottom mountedslide for additional support and stability.

This invention is also useful in laboratory settings, in cabinets withcountertop installed appliances, in cabinets with plumbing, or toutilize dead space around under-counter appliances like garbagedisposals and small water heaters to name a few non-limiting examples.

1. A sink cabinet drawer comprising side panels, a front panel, and afloor panel; said side panels being fittedly assembled so as to curvearound the bowl of a sink when the drawer is fully closed.
 2. The drawerof claim 1 further comprising: (a) a floor panel with a bottom side anda top side; (b) a front panel with a front side and a rear side; (c) arear panel with a front side and a rear side; (d) a cabinet-side panel;(e) at least one sink-side panel, wherein said at least one saidsink-side panel connects to said front panel in front of a sink bowl ofa sink and projects towards said front side of said rear panel in acurvilinear manner; and (f) means for slidably mounting said drawerwithin a cabinet.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein said at least onesink-side panel is curved.
 4. The device of claim 2, wherein said atleast one sink-side panel is comprised of multiple straight panelsconnected so as to curve around the bowl of a sink before connecting tosaid front panel.
 5. The device of claim 2, wherein said panels arecomprised of the group consisting of wood, synthetic wood, plastic,fiberglass, metal, and similarly rigid materials commonly utilized incabinet construction.
 6. The device of claim 2, wherein said means forslidably mounting is a cabinet drawer slide mounted beneath said drawerand affixed to said cabinet.
 7. The device of claim 2, wherein saidmeans for slidably mounting is a cabinet drawer slide mounted besidesaid drawer and affixed to said cabinet.
 8. The device of claim 2,wherein said means for slidably mounting is a cabinet drawer slidemounted above said drawer and affixed to said cabinet.
 9. The device ofclaim 2, wherein at least one drawer is utilized to provide storagearound the bowl of the sink.
 10. A sink cabinet drawer comprising sidepanels, a front panel, and a floor panel; said side panels beingfittedly assembled so as to curve around the bowl of a sink when thedrawer is fully closed; said floor panel possessing a bottom side and atop side; said front panel possessing a front side and a rear side; saidrear panel possessing a front side and a rear side; said side panelspossessing a first surface facing said sink and a second surface facingsaid away from said sink; said side panels further comprising at leastone sink-side panel, wherein said at least one said sink-side panelconnects to said front panel in front of the sink bowl of said sink andprojects towards said front side of said rear panel in such a way as toallow storage between said sink bowl and said cabinet; and means forslidably mounting said drawer within a cabinet.
 11. The method ofincreasing cabinet storage space by replacing the veneer drawer panelson the front of a sink cabinet with drawers that curve around the bowlof the sink.